Lost Rider
by Grizzly98
Summary: A shadow upon a windowsill promises freedom. An island protected by a bank of fog guarantees adventure. Berk is home to lost boys like me. And lost boys like me are free. Based off the song Lost Boys by Ruth B.


**Music inspires us all. It can lift our spirits. It can send us spiraling down the dark path. Either way it calls to us, whispering to the parts of us that nothing else can reach. Which is exactly how I came up with this one shot. Hope you enjoy having your heart wrenched.**

* * *

Lost Rider

He's cold. His hands, his feet, his arms, back and shins. His heart. It's cold, too cold even for him to have the energy to rise from his bed.

Tears on his cheeks, frozen like diamonds in the moonlight.

Still…

He rises, stumbling to the window hacked into the wall of his room. Green eyes wander the sky, alighting upon the pale face of the moon with a sigh. The man in the moon. It hasn't left him yet. It hasn't left him, hasn't abandoned him as everyone else around him has.

His knees give out, he crumples to the floor. He bends over, cradling too pale arms to his chest. "Please," he whispers, blindly watching the moonlight begin to disappear. "Please don't leave me alone."

The moonlight disappears and the boy cries out, his grief overwhelming him. Until something soft gently brushes his cheek.

A soft croon comes with the gesture and with wide eyes the boy looks up, finding a mysterious creature sitting in the sill. He leans back, looking upon the span of black leather in shock. It expands, curling around him in a comforting gesture and the boy finds the cold fleeing from his body. Closing his eyes, he welcomes the feeling.

The creature slides off the sill, turning to completely encircle the boy. When it stills two toxic green eyes are level with emerald green, a silent question battling a feeling of comfort.

Finally, the creature snorts, leaning forward to set his head against the boy's.

 _Settle_. The boy, about to pull away stills. Once more the warm and welcoming comfort dawns on him. He finds himself closing his eyes, lulling into it.

 _I mean you no harm, young one. I'm only here to answer your cries._

He shudders, leaning away from the creature and opening his eyes. "H-How?" His throat is dry, all the moisture being drawn into hopeless tears. "H-How could s-someone like you be able to h-help me?"

A gleam appears in the toxic green eyes. One filled with the hope the boy has lost.

The creature turns, extending one of the leather drapes—a wing the boy discovers shortly after—pulling out a slim necklace. It sets it down in front of the boy, pushing it forward with a single white claw.

He's hesitant, slightly scared of the creature before him, but with another reassuring croon, he's reaching for the black stone bound necklace. He slides it around his head, expecting little and receiving much in return.

It chuckles, a sound similar to someone gulping large amounts of water. _Calm, child, I will do nothing to harm you._

The boy jerks back, looking at it in shock. It raises a claw, gesturing at the necklace.

 _So long as you wear that you will understand me._ He nods in understanding and the creature steps around him, this time laying so that it's facing the window, it's neck settled by him. _Now then, there is a wish I must answer, though before I can I fear I need to know your name._

He swallows, emerald green eyes seeking strength in toxic green. "M-Mine?" When it nods, he looks away. "T-To everyone h-here, I am n-nothing more than a h-hiccup. That's all a-anyone has c-called me."

An ear plate at the back of its head twitches. _Do you want me to call you Hiccup?_

The boy jerks back in surprise, his eyes wide. "W-why are y-you asking m-me?"

It huffs, laying down and setting its head in his lap. _I can't just call you Boy. And I'm not so rude to just assume you like a name so cruel._

For the first time he smiles, a small hand gingerly settling on the creature's head. "T-Thank you. Yes, it's o-okay to call me Hiccup."

The creature croons. _You're welcome._

Hiccup tilts his head, frowning in thought. "Y-you know my name b-but isn't it m-manners to tell s-someone your own?"

It sits up, looking down at Hiccup with a kind eye. Slowly its lips lift until red wells where teeth would normally sit show in the returning moonlight.

 _You may call me Toothless._

He can't help it. Hiccup giggles, falling backward onto the creature's tail. In his laughter he doesn't realize his stutter falls away. "Your name is Toothless?"

Toothless nods, utilizing his tail to lift Hiccup to his feet. _Yes, where I come from it is not even the strangest of them._

This catches the boy's attention. For the first time, hope shines in his emerald eyes.

"Where do you come from?" It is quiet, thinking deeply before it sets all four feet back on the ground, returning to its original position of facing the window. Toothless tilts his head, his ear plates gesturing to the saddle Hiccup can now see on its back.

 _Why don't you get on and I'll show you. Come with me, Hiccup, and I promise I'll make your wish come true._

He's hesitant, glancing between the creature and the door to his room. He looks back at Toothless. "Are you sure, Toothless?"

A nod is all it takes for Hiccup to climb into the saddle. To his surprise, it is as if the saddle was made for him. Both hands and both feet immediately finding a respective grip or pedal to rest on. Hiccup closes his eyes, his grip on the saddle tightening.

"I'm ready."

Clicking of hard nails on wood, a soft whooshing of unfurling wings, then Hiccup is weightless. Even though he wants to cry out he bites his tongue, hoping it will end soon. However, a couple minutes later Toothless croons.

 _Hiccup, open your eyes._ His words, though soft still has the boy opening his eyes. They slip often just the slightest then fly wide, a gasp tearing from him at the dark shapes below him.

"Toothless is this—" He's so stunned he can't finish his question. Toothless, however, understands without a problem.

 _Your town? Yes, it is. But from now on it'll be your town no longer. No more will you have to be afraid. No more will you have to worry or hide._

He turns his gaze to the sky, the sight of the countless starts taking his voice from him. As if reading his mind, Toothless angles his wings and ascends, bringing them closer to the twinkling lights.

They fly on, Hiccup so taken in by the quiet beauty he doesn't notice the distance being eaten up. His sorrows are long lost in the distance when a wall of fog so wide and tall they can't see the ends comes into view.

Seeing it, Hiccup leans down, seeking the comfort Toothless gives. Sensing his unease Toothless rumbles, tilting his wings to angle toward the entrance of the fog bank.

 _It's alright, Hiccup. The fog isn't gonna hurt you. If anything it'll protect you._

Around them, the fog rolls constantly changing shape and distorting the sound of their breathing. When a particularly sharp retort of Toothless' wings comes back at them Hiccup yelps, ducking his head into the beast's scales.

"Toothless, please tell me we are there?"

Toothless croons sympathetically. _Nearly. Listen, Hiccup, and you can hear the waves._

Past their breathing, past the flap of Toothless' wings, the boy begins to hear it. It's soft, no more than a mere whisper at first but then it builds. The familiar sound of waves crashing upon a shore.

It is thunderous, like a waterfall from up high. Thinking of how sound distorts in the fog, Hiccup writes it off. Until Toothless clears the fog bank.

What appears before them takes his breath away.

 _Hiccup. Welcome to Berk._

The boy barely registers the beast's words. His eyes wandering the high cliffs, finding the roaring waves are not from the wall of fog but from the massive blasts striking at the cliffs.

Enormous trees tower into the skies, each large enough to take an hour or more to completely walk around. The mountains the trees surround are even larger, the top of the largest disappearing into the sky.

Toothless banks sharply, flying around the island. That's when Hiccup catches sight of the massive stone men protecting what seems to be a harbor. Longships, each large enough to hold upward of fifty men, sit moored to floating docks. On one side a large ramp climbs the cliff, turning, following the rock up into a village.

Only when Hiccup looks at the village does he see the reptiles flying above it. He swallows, setting a hand on Toothless' head.

"Toothless, what are those?"

The dragon doesn't look up, focusing on searching for the landing area. _You still haven't figured it out yet, Hiccup?_

"N-No?"

Instead of being reprimanded as he would've been back in his hometown, he just receives another of Toothless' strange chuckles.

 _Those are dragons. Everyone who comes to Berk is bonded to one. Even still more wild come to find a home here._

His curiosity peaked, Hiccup sits up looking at the dragons anew. "How does one bond to a dragon?"

 _The dragon picks the human. When a human makes a wish they want more than anything else and a dragon hears it the dragon goes to find them with an innate want to grant their wish._

Hiccup frowns. Carefully he picks apart the dragon's words then he looks at the back of Toothless' head. "You heard my wish. Does that mean I'm your bonded?"

Toothless nods, his wings tilting in preparation to descend. _Yes, my dear Hiccup, forever more I am your dragon and you are my human._

Unconsciously his legs tighten around the saddle as he sees the ground come up. Around the edge of the clearing people gather, each larger than a yak with massive weapons, large hands, and a conflagration of dragons peeking over their shoulders in curiosity.

His dragon settles lightly, the wings furling automatically, and Hiccup leans closer to him, fearfully eyeing the group of strange mountainous men.

A bellow rings from beyond the grouping, one loud enough to shake Hiccup to his bones.

"Alright, that's enough gawking. Get ye hairy arses back ta work 'fore I send ye meself." Like a river around a rock the group splits, a rotund blonde man stepping out.

The group dissipates, grumbles not escaping Hiccup's ears. He pays them no attention, though. His emerald eyes are solely on the blonde man with the metal tooth.

The man grins, raising a hammer for a left hand to the boy. "'Ello there. I'm Gobber the Belch, Second in command and blacksmith. Welcome ta Berk."

Hiccup swallows, leaning closer to Toothless. "H-Hello."

Gobber arches an eyebrow, looking at Toothless. "Ye got quite a shy one, Tooth, are ye sure ye wanna keep him?"

The dragon groans, turning his head to eye Hiccup. _Come on, Hiccup. Gobber won't hurt you. You can trust me._

Quietly Hiccup slips from the saddle, his eyes on his feet when he's standing on his own. "H-Hello, I-I'm H-Hi-Hiccup." He can't keep the stutter from his voice, it's too difficult on top of trying not to duck from the large man.

Seeing the behavior Gobber frowns, his real hand coming up to brush his magnificent mustache. After a minute of watching the boy fidget, he grins.

"Tell ye what. Let's get ye some better clothes and then we'll see about feeding ye up some eh?"

Hiccup glances at Toothless, a pleading look in his eye. "C-Can T-Toothless come?"

The blacksmith arches an eyebrow. "Lad, didnae the reptile tell ye? A bonded never leaves the other's side." The boy looks down in shame and Gobber sighs, coming around to gently set his hammer on Hiccup's shoulder. "Come on, 'iccup, I'll show ye to the seamstress and then we'll get ye somethin' ta eat and we can talk."

He guides him, leading the boy from the square. Toothless walks quietly by his side. When the dragon's head meets his hand, Hiccup looks up, only now noticing the short claw inset in the metal connecting the hammer to the blacksmith's arm stub.

"G-Gobber?"

The blacksmith looks down. "Yeah, lad?"

"If a b-bonded isn't supposed to leave each other's side and you can only get here by being bonded then w-where is y-yours?"

He chuckles, patting Hiccup's shoulder good-naturedly. "A bonded can leave their other's side if they want. Most don't though. Grump, me bonded, is sleeping in the forge."

They pass a large building Hiccup immediately recognizes as the forge and Gobber points to a large brown lump sleeping in front of the dying fire. They continue on, coming to a stop in front of a house closer to the center of the village.

There Gobber raps on the door three times. It swings open, revealing a woman in her late thirties with a patch of fabric in her hand. She scowls, looking at the blacksmith.

"Gobber, I swear to the gods if you burned your britches again I'll give you a dress to wear."

Gobber scowls, crossing his arms over his chest. "I didnae burn them again ye old witch. I brought the new arrival for ye to get some clothes for."

As they talk Hiccup inches away, seeking comfort in Toothless. His dragon answers it, rubbing his head into the boy's hand. Unknown to the duo the seamstress catches the movement. She leans around Gobber, her mouth dropping in shock at the short skinny auburn haired teen standing in only long johns and a pair of boots falling apart at the seems.

When her eyes land upon the stained, tattered sleeves she clicks her tongue. "Now that's just a shame."

She steps past Gobber, approaching Hiccup slowly with a disarming smile. "Hello there, boy, what's your name?"

Hiccup stumbles back, Toothless rising to catch his bonded. When his back meets warm black scales Hiccup looks up, his eyes expressing his gratitude to the dragon.

The dragon croons, nodding to the woman. _Go ahead, Hiccup, you're safe._

"Hiccup." The lack of a stutter and the strength in his voice surprises him. He blushes, looking at his feet. "My name's Hiccup."

After a moment the seamstress clicks her tongue, gaining his attention, and extends her arm.

"Well, Hiccup, it's nice to meet you. I'm Needlenose. Gotta say it surprised me when Mr. Toothy here took off for the call."

Hiccup frowns. "Why would that be?"

Needlenose looks at the dragon then at Gobber, an eyebrow arched. "Neither of you two have bothered to explain anything to him have you?"

When she receives twin noises of protest she rolls her eyes, gently setting a hand on Hiccup's shoulder. "Come on, boy, let's get you fitted and I'll explain."

She leads him into the house, Toothless on his heels. His tail flicks the door shut, leaving the blacksmith to grumble as he returns to his forge.

Inside Needlenose guides Hiccup to a spot of floor clear of any fabric and whistles three separate notes. From the rafters, three small dragons fly down.

Each of the three have differing markings, one being yellow and green, the second being blue and white, and the third being red and black.

The seamstress eyes the boy carefully and turns to the first dragon. "Lou, be a dear and grab my measuring tape. Dipple, go for the fur." She hums, circling Hiccup. "Demon, let's do the brown and green."

One by one the dragons fly off to other parts of the house. The yellow and green returning with a roll of fabric that on closer examination has numbers on it. When the blue and white returns it has a roll of some kind of fur in its claws.

Needlenose scowls when the third dragon returns, wagging her finger at it in aggravation. "Demon, what have I told you about chewing on the fabric?"

The dragon squawks, apparently getting into an argument with the woman. Hiccup takes the chance to turn to Toothless, his expression showing bewilderment.

In exchange his dragon chuckles, watching the argument from where he lays a few feet away.

 _Don't mind them. Needlenose and her terrors are notorious for their arguing._ Seeing his human is still confused the dragon sighs, his ear plates falling to lay flat against his head. _Those dragons she's talking to? Those are Terrible Terrors. They're the smallest dragon on the island besides the Fire Worms living in the mountain._

"Can they bond?"

Toothless hums, ruffling his wings in sort of a shrug. _Their kind of bond is different from us larger dragons. They can't fly as far or carry someone like a bonded needs to be able to do. They'll bond with people on the island, helping them out with chores, with their work, or even trading messages but they won't bond with anyone off the island._

His human is quiet, slowly digesting what the dragon has told him. Then he fingers the gem on his neck.

"Hey, Toothless, how does this bonding work?"

The dragon lifts his tail, lightly flicking the necklace. _This necklace I gave you has one of my scales. The metal is made of Gronkle iron allowing the holder to be able to understand dragons. Which dragon that is depends on what item is in the necklace. My scale, you understand me. If another dragon was to give you say a shed claw or scale you'd be able to understand them. It is taboo to speak to someone else's bonded dragon lest it seems you're breaking your bond. Terrible Terrors are the only exception to this because sometimes multiple Terrors flock to one person._

Hiccup's mind goes back to the claw set in Gobber's arm and his face brightens. "Is that why Gobber had that claw in his arm? Because it belongs to Grump?"

His dragon chuckles, nodding in agreement. _Yes, most bonded pairs have a scale of their dragon encased in Gronkle iron somewhere on them. Why don't you pay attention to Needlenose and try to figure out where she keeps hers?_ Hiccup smiles, his eyes bearing determination. Almost as an afterthought, Toothless adds, _Don't forget, she'll have four. One for each of the Terrors as well as her bonded._

Hiccup pauses, looking back at his bonded in confusion. "I thought Terrors don't bond?"

Toothless groans, his head crashing into his paws and Needlenose cackles, drawing the boy's attention.

"I take it Toothless was explaining the bonds to you?" When he nods she taps an ear. Two scales, one red, one white shows in the firelight. They're carved down, no more than the size of a pea and encased in the same metal he recognizes as what's around his neck.

"Terrors have a different bond to other dragons. They have the ability to make bonds with more than one person in order to communicate more easily when passing along messages. They're picky about it though. Any Terror only has about three or four bonds at any one time."

The boy frowns, watching as Needlenose lifts his arms to measure the limbs and his waist.

"What all is this bond? So far all it seems like is I'm just able to speak to Toothless. Not that I don't enjoy it."

From where he sits Toothless watches in amusement as his human opens up. His excitement and curiosity overwhelming his fear.

 _It means my loyalty is yours. My life is yours. In accordance with your wish, my wings will take you anywhere you want to go. Never again will you have to deal with being alone._

His jaw drops, tears pooling in his eyes. "You mean it?" Toothless nods and Hiccup shakes his head. "But why? Why would you do that for me?"

Needlenose turns to her work, a small dragon clinging to one of the beams holding up the roof helping her to cut and stitch the fabric. Out of the corner of her eye she watches in empathy as Toothless approaches him. When his nose bumps Hiccup's hand Hiccup's knees give out and he crashes to the floor, his dragon catching him before he can hit the ground.

 _Hiccup,_ Toothless purrs. _There's a reason there's a bond between dragons and humans at all. There are humans out there that are made for certain dragons just as there are dragons out there made for certain humans. A dragon isn't called to fulfill a wish unless that's his special human, the one that completes him. You, my dear Hiccup,_ He pushes his nose into Hiccup's stomach gently urging him to look him in the eye. _Are my special human. What you want, what you seek is to fly far and fast and to never be lonely again. Don't you think I've spent years wanting the same thing? All my life I've been on Berk surrounded by the village and yet I've been alone. No one here can fly as far or as fast as me. No one wants to be free like you and me._

He hugs Toothless, bracing his forehead against the dragon's. "I get it now. That's why I'm not so scared when you're here."

A chuckle rumbles through the dragon and he sits up, easily helping Hiccup up as well. _Yes, Hiccup, this is what it means to be a bonded._

From behind them, Needlenose clears her throat, drawing their attention and holds up a pile of clothes. "I don't mean to interrupt your moment but your clothes are finished."

Hiccup frowns, looking back at Toothless. "I don't have anything to pay you."

The seamstress chuckles, arching an eyebrow at the midnight black dragon. "It would appear Toothless has left things out. When someone first arrives on Berk everything they need, a home, their first set of clothing, it's all given for free. Once they're given time to settle down and get over the shock then they can begin looking for ways to earn money."

She presses the clothing in his hands, tilting her head to the yellow and green Terror. "Now go on, Hock-a-lougey will show you to where you can change and get out of those ratty clothes."

A little while later Hiccup steps back out into the main shop, his hands self consciously running through the sleeveless fur vest.

 _There's no reason to be afraid._ He exhales, glancing up to find Toothless sitting in the rafters beside the much smaller, blind, dragon.

"Me? Afraid? Look out world, Hiccup and Toothless are ready to make their mark." Toothless rolls his eyes, stepping out of the rafters without a second thought.

 _Sarcasm is a good color on you. Just make sure it doesn't get you into trouble._

He gives his dragon a timid smile, blushing at the compliment. "Thanks, bud, that means a lot coming from you."

As the bonded pair make their way to the door Hiccup eyes the saddle on his back curiously.

"Say, Toothless, where did you get the saddle?"

The dragon pauses in front of the house, looking back at his human. _Gobber has a special book that fills with the design required for the dragon._

"How does it work?" Toothless pauses, his ear plates lowering as he thinks. After a minute of being unable to come up with an answer he shrugs,

 _I honestly don't know. When it comes time for a dragon to answer a wish the designs just show up in the book. Gobber is the only one who knows how to build the saddles but he nor Grump have ever said anything about how the designs show up._ He shakes himself and turns his head to point at the saddle on his own back. _It's almost time for lunch. Climb on_ _and I'll fly you to the Great Hall. It'll be a lot easier than having everyone try to crowd around you for a meet and greet._

Outside Hiccup can already tell a big difference between the clothes he has on to what he was wearing earlier. Where he'd been freezing in his boots earlier now he can move without his teeth chattering. He ignores the stares from the strangers passing by and quickly climbs on, his hands tightening on the grips of the saddle.

Again large black wings unfurl, but this time when Toothless crouches so to does Hiccup. His eyes remain open and he watches in amazement as the ground just seems to fall away.

"Hey, Toothless?"

The dragon angles toward the massive building built into the side of the mountain. Already the gargantuan doors needed to seal it closed can be seen.

 _Yes, Hiccup?_

"When can we go flying?"

 _Why, my dear Hiccup, isn't that what we're doing now?_

Hiccup shakes his head even though Toothless can't see the gesture. "It's not the same. I wanna go high, I wanna go far. I wanna see the stars up close."

The dragon chuckles, back winging to slow his impact. _Then we will go flying, Hiccup. But before we do you need to eat and don't forget you still have yet to meet the chief of the village._

He can feel it when his human shudders. Inwardly Toothless sighs, praying to the stars Hiccup will be drawn out of his shell soon.

"W-What is the chief like?"

His paws touch down and Hiccup slides off, remaining within reach as he observes the massive ornately carved doors.

 _Well,_ His ear plates stand up, zeroing in on Gobber's voice with another deeper timbre. _The chief is loud, well respected, patient, oh and very—_

"Toothless!" An earplate falls as a man over seven feet in height and nearly twice the size of everyone in the hall approaches them. Hiccup cowers into his side, immediately seeking the comfort he's come to associate with the black dragon.

"B-Big?" The boy whimpers, his eyes wide with shock.

Toothless sits up, his eyes narrowing in warning as he wraps his tail around the frightened boy.

Sensing the dragon's wariness Gobber grabs the man's arm, causing the large man to turn to him instead.

"Uh, Stoick, I'd suggest ye watch your step."

Deep within the flowing field of a fiery red beard, a frown becomes obvious. "Why should I do that, Gobber? It's just Toothless and his bonded."

Gobber sighs, letting go of the massive man. Stoick turns, taking in a full sight of the dragon and his bonded. He pauses.

"Oh." The word is quiet, so much so only Gobber and the dragons can pick up on it. This time with a much quieter step he closes the distance, smiling easily at Hiccup.

"Hello, welcome to Berk. I'm Chief Stoick the Vast."

When Hiccup only manages to mutter an unintelligible phrase Toothless gently uses his head to nudge Hiccup. He doesn't stray from the dragon's grasp, but he does clear his throat, speaking loud enough for Stoick to hear.

"I'm, uh, H-Hi-Hiccup."

The chief arches an eyebrow. "Hiccup you say?"

The boy nods sheepishly, his eyes barely leaving either Toothless' scales or his own feet.

A laugh escapes the chief, rumbling from deep in his gut, reminding the boy of a stampede. Stoick throws his head back, letting the laugh relieve some of the tension in the atmosphere. When he looks back he finds Hiccup looking at him wide-eyed. He turns, holding a hand up to a boar roasting on an open flame. "Come come. We must celebrate."

The boy frowns, retreating a step. "W-Why?"

Here Stoick grins. "Why must we celebrate?" Hiccup nods. "Son, every sunrise is a reason to celebrate. But most of all, well it's not every day our very own Night Fury finds his bonded!"

Tentatively Hiccup steps forward, the mountain of a man's cheerful attitude quickly catching to the others in the hall. Halfway to the man, he reaches behind him, almost panicking until warm scales come in contact with his hand.

His dragon croons, watching in relief as his boy begins to relax.

 _See I told you you're okay here._

When he's sat down at the table closest to the fire a large plate of food is set before him. Stoick receives his own, though he waits until Hiccup starts eating before he partakes.

After a few bites, Stoick takes a drought of his tankard and sets it down, quietly observing the shy boy pick at his food.

"So, Hiccup, where is it you're from?"

Behind his human's chair, Toothless lifts his head from the half empty basket of fish sitting in his front paws. His earplates stand at attention, one on his human while the other zeroes in on a familiar squawk outside the hall.

Hiccup coughs, nearly choking on his food before he manages to swallow it. He avoids looking at the chief, instead, finding his fingers more interesting.

"I'm, uh, from the town of B-Berserk." His words are quiet, nearly being drowned out by the celebrations.

The chief sets a hand to his beard in thought. "Hm, if I remember Berserk is a small island some miles north of London, ain't that right?"

Hiccup nods. "Yes, Sir."

The chief looks like he's about to ask another question but is cut off when a roaring ball of a fight rolls into the hall. Everyone at the table gets up, either saving their plates or rushing to halt the fight. Unseen to the humans, Hiccup breathes a sigh of relief, grabbing his plate and slipping out of his chair to quietly sit in a corner.

Wordlessly Toothless grabs the basket in his mouth and drags it along to sit beside his human.

A minute later Hiccup sets his food down, looking at his dragon with sad eyes. "I'm sorry, Toothless. I'm sorry I'm so afraid of everything."

The dragon shakes his head, sitting on his hindquarters to be closer to Hiccup's level.

 _There is nothing to apologize for. This is only your first day on Berk. It will take more than a day to come out of your shell. But, my dear Hiccup, let me tell you something. In just the short time being away from that awful town you've already changed. There's a light in your eyes that wasn't there when I first landed in your window. Your heart beats with excitement, not fear. Everything you see, every person you've met, it has excited you and thrilled you. Yes, you're still afraid, but that will go away with time._

Behind the boy, Toothless sees someone approaching. The newcomer is mostly hidden between the pillars, though his size and the short lumpy brown dragon at his side tells him everything he needs to know.

He lowers himself to all four feet, keeping his head focused on his human. _Try to make a friend, Hiccup, more than myself won't hurt._

Hiccup frowns, trying to understand his dragon's cryptic words. Until he hears, "You're new."

He yelps, spinning to turn his back to his dragon and leans into the black scales. His plate hits the ground with a crack, the remaining food spreading across the stone floor.

Now in front of him, he finds a blonde husky boy that appears to be his age holding up his hands in front of him. He grimaces, keeping several feet away.

"Sorry, didn't mean to scare you. I'm Fishlegs." The blonde boy sets a hand on the dragon Hiccup only now sees sitting beside him. "This is my bonded, Meatlug."

When Fishlegs holds out a hand to help Hiccup up, Toothless nudges him with his nose, urging him to accept the help. Hiccup flushes, lightly grabbing the hand. "I'm s-sorry. I'm H-Hiccup."

The blonde smiles softly, his blue eyes holding a knowing look. "Didn't have it easy before you made your wish, did you?"

Somewhere in the back of his mind a match strikes and Hiccup huffs. "No, I lived in the lap of luxury."

Fishlegs chuckles, setting a hand on Meatlug's head. "Hey, I get it. I was the same way when I first got here. Everything made me jump and my only real friend was Meatlug." Then he looks, his lips quirking in a small smile. "Though I wasn't and still am not one for sarcasm."

"Oi, 'legs!" Both boys look across the hall, finding a group of four teens their age standing in a group. The first, a girl with golden blonde haired braided off her shoulder holds an axe to one of the skinnier teens.

From where they stand Hiccup can't make out if the one on the receiving end of the axe is a boy or girl but judging by the lookalike laughing at their expense he can guess they're twins. The one facing them, having apparently called out to Fishlegs has broad muscled shoulders, medium length black hair and appears as if he'd been struck by lightning, what with the helmet on his head charred black.

Fishlegs holds up a hand, telling the boy to wait. He looks back at Hiccup. "I have to go. Do you maybe want to come meet my friends?"

He wants to, Toothless' words from earlier lighting a flame of hope in his heart, but he's hesitant. He glances at the group quickly returning to his hands before they can notice.

"I-I don't know."

Sensing his hesitation, Fishlegs looks to Toothless in the hope the dragon will help. But he doesn't help, he can tell his human is wavering and so he waits, toxic green eyes focused solely on the auburn teen. Hiccup swallows, his eyes rising to meet the husky teen's.

"What do you do as friends?" Fishlegs arches an eyebrow.

"My friends and I?" When Hiccup nods the teen's eyes glitter in excitement. "We fly all over the Archipelago finding new dragons and thwarting an evil man named Alvin the Treacherous whenever he tries to come after Berk."

That has Hiccup's attention. Slowly, ever so slowly he jumps off the fence. "C-can I?"

Fishlegs nods, turning to his friends. Seeing the husky boy is walking away Hiccup runs up to him, sticking particularly close to him.

As they approach the group the black-haired boy approaches them, almost glaring at Hiccup.

"Hey, Fishlegs, who do you have there? Looks like a fishbone for the pile." The blonde teen scowls.

"Be nice, Snotlout. Hiccup this is Snotlout. Snotlout this is Hiccup, he's the one that bonded with Toothless." Snotlout pushes his helmet back, looking the shy boy over more closely before crossing his built arms over his chest and looking away.

"I guess Toothless could've done worse." Hiccup for one ignores the boy's mutterings, preferring to watch the blonde with the axe swing the heavy weapon against one of the twin's heads. Using the flat of the blade of course.

When she turns to him his mouth drops open. His mouth drying at the beauty of the Valkyrie standing before him. As she approaches he clears his throat, diverting his gaze to his feet.

"Fishlegs, who is this?"

Hiccup blushes, silently comparing her voice to the honey he once took from a vendor as a child.

 _Hiccup, focus. You can daydream later._

Thoroughly chastened he glances up to see his new friend looking down at him. "Astrid, this is Hiccup. Hiccup this is the leader of our group, and friend Astrid."

He swallows, shrinking back. "H-Hello."

Instead of being mean or reacting like Snotlout had she smiles, extending a hand to him, on that hand, he notices a yellow and blue scale encased in a bracelet.

"Hello, welcome to Berk." This time he reaches up, taking her hand with a shaky grip and shaking it.

When Astrid sees it she frowns, sharing a look with Fishlegs before she grabs Hiccup's arm in a firm grip and wraps her hand around his forearm. At first he panics, until he sees what she's doing then he copies it.

The blonde grins, squeezing his arm with the same firm grip. "There ya go. That's how we Riders do it."

She lets go, nodding to Fishlegs as she walks past and Hiccup looks to his new friend in confusion.

"What just happened?"

Fishlegs smiles. "That was our leader welcoming the newest of the Lost Riders to our ranks." When his confusion continues Fishlegs chuckles, nodding toward to the four now regrouped teens. "My friends and I are known around the Archipelago as the Lost Riders. We're the only ones who typically have a want or need to leave Berk to explore. Our wishes are somewhat one in the same. To fly far and free. And so we do, we fly to our heart's content."

Connecting what the husky teen has said to what Astrid had mentioned Hiccup is shocked. "And she just let me join? Just like that?"

He gives him an 'are you serious' look, turning him to point at his dragon. "Hiccup, you bonded to a Night Fury, and not just any Night Fury but the _only_ Night Fury in the Archipelago. It's pretty clear what your wish is."

He smiles again, leaning away from the shy boy. "Come on, I still have to introduce you to the twins."

Instead of following the husky boy right away Hiccup turns to Toothless, seeking comfort the only way he knows. The dragon steps forward, rubbing his head against his human's leg with a soothing croon.

 _Are you okay, Hiccup?_

The boy closes his eyes, taking a deep breath as a hand runs over midnight black scales. "I will be, bud, it's just a lot to take in. I went from being a slave stuck locked in the attic to having a whole village caring about me and a bunch of people like me I get to call friends."

His dragon chuckles, sitting on his hindquarters to watch the group chat among themselves. _I can see how it would be overwhelming. You've had your entire world flipped upside down in the matter of a day and a half. But you know what?_ It's strange how well they've come to know each other if all it takes is a tilt of his head to let him know Hiccup is listening. _No matter what happens I'll forever be by your side. Even if it's about to happen in a few minutes._

Hiccup looks at him in alarm. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Toothless shakes his head, pushing Hiccup forward with his tail. _It doesn't matter. Go finish greeting your new friends._

He groans, stepping toward the group. "Okay, okay, I'm going you overgrown salamander."

 _I heard that._

As he's about to retort he runs into something. Or rather someones. He turns, finding the twins he saw from earlier standing back to back before him, grinning darkly.

"Well, well, the tyrant over there says you're the new Rider." Hiccup shrinks back in fear until both twins turn, each offering an arm with matching friendly grins.

Hiccup grabs their arms, copying the shake from earlier with a shaky smile. "I'm Hiccup."

Again the lack of a stutter surprises him, though only for the time it takes for the twins to throw an arm over each other's shoulders. The one on his left grins, pointing at the one on the right. "This is Ruffnut." In the right one's left ear Hiccup can see the piercing of a green scale.

Ruffnut points at the left twin, licking her pinky as she does. "And this is Tuffnut." She shoves it in his ear, drawing Hiccup's attention to the piercing in Tuffnut's right ear, nearly identical to his sister's save the mark of brown across the top and bottom.

The male yelps, glaring at his sister, then headbutts her. Both cackle at the impact and slowly Hiccup backs away, crashing into another body only a few steps later.

He turns, flinching when he sees it's Astrid he'd run into. "Sorry, Astrid."

Her sapphire eyes soften, the color changing to the blue of the ocean and she smiles shaking her head at him. "It's fine, the twins are always doing something stupid." Hiccup nods and she faces the rest of the group. "Lost Riders!" Almost at once the fighting comes to a stop, everyone turning to her. "Listen up, we just received news that Alvin is interfering with the Meatheads. You know what this means."

The boy from earlier, Snotlout smirks, colliding a closed fist into his open hand. "It's time to kick that muttonhead back to Outcast Island where he belongs."

Astrid nods. "That'd be correct. Saddle up Riders, it's a long flight to Meathead Isle."

There's a rush as the group runs out the door to their waiting dragons. Only, Hiccup doesn't move, unsure of what he's supposed to do.

When a tankard is set on his shoulder Hiccup looks to find Gobber frowning in confusion.

"Lad, why ain't ye goin' wit' them?"

Hiccup looks at the gathered dragons then back at Gobber. "Am I supposed to?"

Gobber arches an eyebrow. "Are you a Rider?"

The boy shrugs. "I don't know. I guess."

And the blacksmith grins, setting his tankard in the middle of his back. "Then go, lad, go and fly free."

He's pushed forward and suddenly there's a black tail there followed by wings and a saddle then Hiccup's grabbing the handles, for the first time in a long time grinning at his best friend.

"Come on, bud, it's time to fly."

 _I thought you'd never ask._ Toothless warbles, his wings unfurling with the same graceful beauty that swept the boy away from his grief. Off into the air, they leap, off to fulfill his wish, off to be the lost boy he wants to be.

 _The End._

* * *

 **Don't say I didn't warn you. Although going off of what my beta said the sweet parts really came out well against the sad. But don't just take my word for it. Leave a review letting me know what y'all thought.**

 **Grizzly out for the night.**

 **P.S. Lost Boys by Ruth B. really is a good song.**


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